U.S. patent number 3,947,815 [Application Number 05/575,948] was granted by the patent office on 1976-03-30 for automobile emergency-alerting system.
Invention is credited to Hrand M. Muncheryan.
United States Patent |
3,947,815 |
Muncheryan |
March 30, 1976 |
Automobile emergency-alerting system
Abstract
An emergency alarm system for automobiles for signalling
passerbys and police that the driver or the occupant of the car
needs immediate help due to a sudden attack of illness, heart
trouble, stroke, or intrusion by burglars or other criminals is
described. The system comprises an alarm and light-flashing device
actuated by manually-operated switches located at various
readily-accessible parts of the car, or triggered automatically
from an alarm-triggering device carried on the shirt pocket of the
car driver or occupant. The system also serves to keep the driver
awake during a long-distance and tiresome driving trip by
intermittently sounding an alarm contained in a driver's cap and
connected to the present emergency alerting system, when the driver
has the tendency to become drowsy.
Inventors: |
Muncheryan; Hrand M. (Orange,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
24302349 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/575,948 |
Filed: |
May 9, 1975 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
340/575; 340/472;
340/576 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60Q
1/503 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60Q
1/50 (20060101); B60Q 001/00 (); G08B 021/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;340/75,81R,88,90,145,63,420,279,282,52F,87 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Yusko; Donald J.
Claims
I claim:
1. An automobile emergency-alerting system, comprising: an acoustic
and visual display means adapted to be mounted on an automobile
body readily visible from a distance and operable from the battery
of said automobile, said acoustic and visual display means having
an electric circuit system connected to the battery of said
automobile for receiving energization current therefrom through a
continuously-repeating current interrupter disposed in the circuit
of said electric circuit system, a plurality of normally-open
current-switching means connected theretogether in electrically
parallel relations in said electric circuit system, and electric
receptacles disposed on the dashboard of said automobile and
connected to said electric circuit system in open-circuit relation
thereto; said plurality of normally-open current-switching means
being disposed in the seating area of said automobile at various
readily-accessible points thereof, whereby when any one of said
plurality of normally-open current-switching means is actuated to a
closed-circuit position during an emergency situation within said
automobile, said acoustic and visual display means becomes
energized for alerting passerbys, police, and the like that the
automobile occupant is in need of immediate help, by repetitive
acoustic and visual signalling thereof; a position-sensitive switch
means having a housing with said position-sensitive switch means
sealed therein, said housing being adapted to be carried in a shirt
pocket of the automobile occupant and positioned in said shirt
pocket in an upright, vertical plane and in an open-circuit
position thereof; said position-sensitive switch means being
provided with electric conductors extending from the housing
thereof and terminating in a connector means adapted to be inserted
into one of said electric receptacles, whereby when said
position-sensitive switch means is closed as by tilting thereof,
with respect to the vertical plane of said automobile, resultant
from the occupant's body declination due to sudden attack of
illness thereof, said acoustic and visual display means projects a
repeating visual distress signal therefrom and sounds an alarm in
synchronism with said repeating distress signal to bring help to
the occupant; and, a headwear means, adapted to be worn by the
automobile driver, having therein an open-circuit
position-sensitive switch means and an alarm means electrically
coupled thereto in series relation thereof, said open-circuit
position-sensitive switch means having a dual-wire cable with a
plug member at the termination thereof for insertion into the other
of said plurality of open-circuit electric receptacles, whereby
when the wearer's head of said headwear means tilts, due to
drowsiness during driving, with respect to the vertical plane of
the automobile said position-sensitive switch means tilts therewith
and closes the circuit to said alarm means in said headwear,
causing a current to flow from said battery through said current
interrupter to the alarm means in said headwear means, whereupon a
repetitive acoustic signal is produced by said alarm means to
arouse the driver.
2. An automobile emergency-alerting system as defined in claim 1,
wherein said acoustic and visual display means adapted to be
mounted on an automobile body comprises a housing having a
transparent window with means representing a distress-word signal
and a prismatic-plastic transparent sheet disposed thereon, a
source of light disposed in said housing in the posterior relation
of said window to illuminate said means representing a
distress-word signal for calling for emergency help.
3. An automobile emergency-alerting system as defined in claim 2,
wherein said means representing a distress-word signal comprises a
die-cut pattern in an opaque sheet in the form of a
distress-designating word, said opaque sheet being backed by a
red-color plastic sheet material, whereby when said means
representing a distress-word signal is illuminated from one side
thereof the distress-designating word becomes visible through the
transparent prismatic plastic sheet thereon to long distances
therefrom.
4. An automobile emergency-alerting system as defined in claim 1,
where said electric circuit system connected to the battery of said
automobile and operable by said battery comprises a
multiple-conductor electric cable from which emerge a plurality of
electrical conductors in pairs, a solenoid-type latching relay
disposed therein with the coil thereof connected to a pair of said
electric conductors, a light source and alarm means having a common
housing connect to a pair of said electric conductors, a plurality
of current control means disposed in said electric circuit system
and connected respectively to a plurality of electric conductors in
pairs therein, a flasher means connected in series relation with
said light source and said alarm means through a pair of said
electric conductors, and three pairs of said electric conductors
terminate in open-circuit electric receptacles disposed in the
dashboard of said automobile, whereby any one of said current
control means when actuated to a closed-circuit position causes the
energization of said light source and alarm means therein.
5. An automobile emergency-alerting system as defined in claim 4,
wherein the first of said three pairs of electric conductors
terminating in open-circuit electric receptacles disposed in the
dashboard of said automobile is connected directly to the battery
of said automobile, a second pair of electric conductors which
terminate at and connect to a second of said open-circuit electric
receptacles, said second of said open-circuit electric receptacles
being adapted to receive an electric plug member from an electric
means for alerting the passerbys with respect to an illness of an
occupant in said automobile, and a third pair of electric
conductors which terminate at and connect to a third open-circuit
electric receptacle which is adapted to receive an electric plug
member connected to a cord leading to a drowsiness-preventive
device worn by a driver of said automobile during a long-distance
travel.
6. An automobile emergency-alerting system as defined in claim 5,
wherein said one pair of conductors connected directly to the
battery of said automobile are channeled to said battery through
the cigaret-lighter receptacle ordinarily equipped on said
automobile.
7. An automobile emergency-alerting system as defined in claim 4,
wherein said plurality of current control means disposed in said
electic circuit system are distributed throughout the automobile
interior and located adjacent the front and rear seats of said
automobile in readily accessible points thereof and consist of
momentary pushbutton switches.
8. An automobile emergency-alerting system as defined in claim 1,
wherein said continuously repeating current interrupter is a
flasher which becomes connected in series with the acoustic and
visual display means upon closing of any one of the normally-open
current-switching means and becomes isolated from the circuit of
said normally-open current-switching means upon energization of
said acoustic and visual display means.
9. An automobile emergency-alerting system as defined in claim 2,
wherin said means representing a distress-word signal comprises one
of the group of distress-designating words characterized by HELP,
DANGER, EMERGENCY, DISTRESS, WARNING, and the like.
10. An automobile emergency-alerting system as defined in claim 1,
wherein the acoustic section of said acoustic and visual display
means comprises an electronic horn operable directly from the
battery of the automobile through a flasher disposed in the
electric circuit system thereof.
11. An automobile emergency-alerting system as described in claim
1, wherein said headwear means connected to one of said plurality
of open-circuit electric receptacles through a cable means to said
electric circuit system thereof comprises a golfer's cap containing
therein a carrier means provided thereon a mercury switch normally
in open-circuit position when positioned in a vertical plane and
becomes closed when tilted with respect to the vertical plane
thereof, and a buzzer means connected therein in series relation
with said mercury switch, said cable means having dual conductors
therein with one conductor thereof connected to said mercury switch
and the other conductor thereof to said buzzer means, said
conductors terminate in a plug connector to connect said buzzer
means to the battery of said automobile for receiving energization
current therefrom through the current interrupter disposed in the
circuit of said electric circuit system between said battery and
the electric circuit of said buzzer to thereby produce a repeating
sound signal therein.
12. An automobile emergency-alerting system as defined in claim 1,
wherein the acoustic portion of said acoustic and visual display
means comprises a loudspeaker, an amplifier connected to said
loudspeaker and intermittently moving magnetic tape means with
spoken words recorded thereon to produce word signals and to feed
said word signals to said amplifier for amplification thereby, and
an electric motor for driving said magnetic tape means and
connected thereto through pulleys thereof, said motor receiving
current from the battery of the automobile through a current
interrupter disposed in series relation thereof in a section of
said electric circuit system that occurs between said battery and
said electric motor to become actuated at the repetition rate of
said current interrupter.
13. An automobile emergency-alerting system as defined in claim 1,
wherein one of said normally-open current-switching means is closed
manually during an emergency situation, a current flows from the
battery of the automobile through said current-switching means to
the coil of a latching relay means disposed in series connection
between said current-switching means and said battery, closing the
switch means of said latching relay means, whereupon the current
from the battery is diverted by said relay switch means to an
acoustic and visual display means connected in series with the
relay switch means and with a current interrupter means in the
circuit thereof to produce continuously interrupted signals
therefrom for an indefinite period until manually stopped by means
of a reset switch means disposed in said electric circuit system,
said reset switch means being concealed in said automobile in a
section thereof unknown to an intruder.
14. An automobile emergency-alerting system as defined in claim 1,
wherein said acoustic and visual display means comprises a housing
with a window on a side thereof for projecting distress signals
therethrough, said window comprising a transparent plastic plate
having a detachable framework adapted to be mounted on said window
over the transparent plastic plate, said frameword having in the
open-section thereof a thin sheet of template die-cut in the form
of a distress word therein and a red sheet of plastic permanently
attached with said sheet of template to said framework whereby
during an emergency situation characteristic of said distress word
said framework together with its constituents is mounted over the
transparent plastic plate of said window for projecting the
distress signal therethrough; said framework having the template
and the red plastic sheet is interchangeable with other frameworks
of similar dimensions having therein templates die-cut with
different distress words, whereby any one of said frameworks with
their contents can be attached over the window of said acoustic and
visual display means in accordance with the need of the respective
emergency situation.
15. An automobile emergency-alerting system as defined in claim 2,
wherein said transparent screen disposed in said window comprises a
prismatic plastic plate, whereby when the automobile
emergency-alerting system is not in operation said means
representing a distress-word signal within said window is invisible
because of the total reflection and thereby extinction of the
ambient light shining externally upon said window, by the
individual prisms comprising one surface of said prismatic plastic
plate, the prismatic surface thereof being disposed to face
inwardly of said window.
16. An automobile emergency-alerting system as defined in claim 1,
wherein said system comprises a maze of electrical circuits
interlinked theretogether, said maze of electrical circuits having
in a section thereof open-circuit electric receptacles mounted in
the dashboard of an automobile and connected to an electric
flasher, a latching relay means, a plurality of momentary-action
pushbutton switches disposed in parallel relation theretogether in
said circuit, and means for visual signalling and alarm sounding
connected therein in series with said electric flasher; said maze
of electrical circuits being connected to the battery of an
automobile to receive energization current therefrom; a
drowsiness-preventive means with an alarm means and an automatic
switch means disposed therein being connected through a cable
therefrom to one of said open-circuit electric receptacles mounted
in the dashboard of said automobile, whereby when said automatic
switch means is closed a current flows from the battery through
said one of said open-circuit electric receptacles on said
dashboard, said alarm means and automatic switch means in said
drowsiness-preventive means, said electric flasher, and back to
said battery, whereupon a repeatedly interrupted alarm is produced
in said drowsiness-preventive means; and, an illness-alerting means
having a housing with a mercury switch disposed therein and
positioned in a vertical plane, whereby to maintain an open-circuit
condition therein, and electrical coupling means extending from
said mercury switch to connect said illness-alerting means to one
of the other of said open-circuit electric receptacles disposed on
the dashboard of said automobile, whereby when the mercury switch
closes during an emergency situation a current flows from said
battery through said illness-alerting means, into the coil of said
latching relay means back to the battery, closing the switch of
said latching relay means and thereby diverting the current from
said battery into the acoustic and visual signalling means, through
the relay switch, said flasher, and to the opposite side of said
battery, thus actuating said acoustic and visual signalling means
for emergency help.
17. An automobile emergency-alerting system as defined in claim 1,
wherein said system comprises a portable unit of emergency-alerting
means adapted with means to be attached to an automobile and
operable from the battery thereof, said unit of emergency-alerting
means comprises a quadrangular housing provided with first and
second electric receptacles disposed in one wall thereof and a
pressure-sensitive adhesive material affixed on the opposite wall
thereof for attachment of said housing to the dashboard of an
automobile by means of said adhesive material thereon; electric
conductors extending from each of said electric receptacles for
connection to a connector means adapted to be inserted into a
cigaret-lighter receptacle of a car equipped therewith for
receiving energization current from the car's battery through said
cigaret-lighter receptacle, a flasher disposed in the circuit of
said unit of emergency-alerting means and connected to both of said
electric receptacles, an emergency-alerting means comprising an
acoustic means and a light source connected in series relation with
said flasher in said unit of emergency-alerting means, and a
latching relay means with the energizing coil thereof being
connected in the circuit of said unit of emergency-alerting means
in series relation with the first of said electric receptacles and
the battery of said automobile, whereby when said first of said
electric receptacles is electrically closed by an external means
inserted thereinto said latching relay means becomes energized,
closing the switch means thereof, whereupon a current flows from
the battery through said first of said electric receptacles,
through said emergency-alerting acousting and visual means and said
flasher means back to the opposite side of the battery, actuating
said emergency alerting acoustic and visual means in a repeatedly
interrupted mode of action by the repetitive action of said
flasher, thereby alerting the passerbys for the need of emergency
help.
18. An automobile imergency-alerting system as described in claim
17, wherein said second electric receptacle is adapted to receive a
plug means having an electric cord with dual wires therein and
extending from said plug means, a cap means, adapted to be worn on
a driver's head, having therein an alarm means and a
position-sensitive switch means electrically connected thereto in
series and coupled to the dual-wire electric cord to receive an
energizing current from the battery of said automobile through said
second electric receptacle; when said position-sensitive switch
means closes as a result of tilting thereof with respect to the
vertical plane of said automobile and the tilting of the driver's
head therewith due to drowsiness during driving, a current flows
from said battery through said second receptacle and said flasher
into said alarm means to actuate said alarm means in interrupted
intervals due to said flasher action therein, arousing said
driver.
19. An automobile emergency-alerting system as defined in claim 1,
wherein the housing of said position-sensitive switch means being
adapted to be carried in a shirt pocket is provided with push-on
push-off push-button switch to control the current through said
position-sensitive switch means, whereby the position-sensitive
means can be cut off from the battery when said position-sensitive
switch means is not in use.
20. An automobile emergency-alerting means as defined in claim 1,
wherein said open-circuit position-sensitive switch means and an
alarm means electrically coupled thereto and disposed in the
headwear means worn by a driver is provided with a carrier means
adapted to be attached to said headwear means in a fixed position
with respect to a vertical plane to maintain an open-circuit
position therein, whereby when said headwear means is tilted by the
driver's head said open-circuit position-sensitive switch means
closes, causing the energization of said alarm means therein.
Description
The present invention is related to safety and security alarm
systems and more particularly it is concerned with a system for
alerting from an automobile other people, passerbys, and observers
that the driver or an occupant of the car is in trouble arising
from failure of his car engine, or he is in danger due to sudden
attack of illness, or to some criminal act taking place in the car
and the occupant is in need of emergency help from passerbys,
police, or the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Every driver, one time or another, finds himself or herself faced
with car trouble, physical illness that prevents him from
continuing his travel, assault by criminals, or emergency driving
at a faster speed at a zone than the law permits, in order to get
his occupant to a hospital. Most of the presently manufactured cars
have flashing lights that can be turned on at four corners of the
car while the car is parked at one side of the road with the driver
waiting for help from others. For emergency driving to a hospital,
the driver at times turns on his headlights and blows his car horn
and speeds his car to his destination; the procedure may not even
be legal in some or most of the States because of the danger of
collision with other cars due to speeding.
While these methods may help the driver in alleviating the
emergency state, they do not insure his safety and the safety of
the other drivers and pedestrians. For instance, when parked on a
side of a freeway or a road with his flashing lights on, the driver
cannot convey the intent of his parking to other drivers or
observers; he may be reading a news item from a newspaper, studying
a road map, removing some needed objects from his glove
compartment, or possibly needing a mechanic, a policeman, or other
help. Since the reason for the driver's parking is not known,
almost no one stops to investigate if there is any need for
help.
Thus the drivers park on the side of a road for numerous reasons,
and one of the most critical reasons is the driver's or the
occupant's safety which must be informed to the drivers of the
passing cars or police, when help is needed. Certain of the daily
car drivers are inflicted with various illnesses, such as heart
trouble, fainting spells due to diabetic condition, or a sudden
stroke. A parked car may have its occupant undergoing an assault
and battery by a criminal; the latter condition may also occur in
various city parking lots without the knowledge of the public until
the crime has been comitted and the criminal has escaped. These and
other incidents are being reported every day in newspapers, on the
radio or television.
It should therefore be recognized that continuous flashing of the
car lights, if the emergency permits the victim to turn on his
lights, while the car is parked on a road, freeway, or parking lot
of a supermarket, city library, or even in a private parking lot,
is not a safe measure for obtaining help when essential to the
safety of a car driver or a car occupant. Thus, having scrutinized
these problems and conditions under which they occur and the
ineffectiveness of the mere flashing of the car lights to bring
help, the present invention has been devised to eliminate the
disadvantages of the present method of flashing light to obtain
help. The invention has only a single emergency alerting system
which is visible as well as audible for nearly a mile at daytime
and somewhat farther at nighttime. The system flashes a bright red
light with letters HELP on its display panel together with a
high-dB alarm sounds in synchronism with each flash of the red
light, thus ensuring that the car driver or the occupant of the car
needs help from others outside of the car.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to my copending application on an
Alarm System for Signalling for Emergency Help, Ser. No. 503,446,
filed Sept. 5, 1974, which has received final action pending
issuance of a Notice of Allowance, the principal difference
residing in the present system is its exclusive application and
construction for use on passenger cars and trucks. The invention is
a security system for alerting other people that the occupant of
the car is in need of some type of help, whether it is car trouble
or physical danger. It comprises a display unit with a housing
adapted to be mounted on the trunk lid of a car or at a suitable
location that is easily visible to passerbys from a distance, a
flashing light source in said housing, a transparent front panel
having the letters HELP die-cut through one layer of the panel, a
red and transparent sheet of plastic disposed behind the word HELP
and a prismatic lens plate over the word HELP, whereby when the
light flashes, the word HELP radiates a red light and at the same
time a loud alarm sounds to alert other people. When the system is
not operating, the word HELP is invisible because of the total
internal reflection of the ambient light due to the prismatic
nature of the lens plate, with the prismatic side of the plate
facing the red sheet.
The flashing light source, consisting of electric lamps for the
display, and the alarm device are energized from the car's battery
connected thereto through a plurality of cables terminating in
normally open-circuit switches implanted at various accessible
points of the car's interior. The system receives energizing
current from the cables already connected to the cigaret receptacle
of the car, without affecting the cigaret-lighter operation. The
system circuit is also provided with receptacles (telephone jacks)
built into the instrument panel of the car during manufacture
thereof; these jacks are for use with two other car accessories, to
be described.
The two accessories referred to are a sleep-preventive cap and an
illness-alerting device, each of which plugs into the respective
jack especially provided on the instrument panel (dashboard) during
manufacture of the car. The sleep-preventive cap contains an alarm
means, such as a small buzzer, and a position-sensitive electric
switch (mercury switch), which becomes actuated when the driver,
wearing the cap and having plugged the cable therefrom into the
respective jack on the dashboard, begings to become drowsy while
driving. The driver's head tilts forward, closing the mercury
switch and thereby energizing the alarm means to arouse the driver.
The illness-alerting device is also provided with a
position-sensitive switch means contained in a sealed receptacle
which is carried, for example, in the shirt pocket of a driver and
positioned in an upright position therein. The position-sensitive
switch in the upright position is in an electrically open state. A
cable extends from the position-sensitive switch means and
terminates in a plug which inserts into the respective jack on the
dashboard. When the wearer of the device faints or falls to one
side due to a sudden illness or stroke, the position-sensitive
switch closes, energizing the light display unit with the
intermittent alarm in synchronism with the flashing light, the
light displaying the word HELP on the display unit during each
successive flashing of the light.
To achive these functions, a principal object of the invention is
to provide a display unit on an easily noticeable part of a car,
said display unit having an illuminable front panel externally
visible to other cars or persons nearby.
A further object of the invention is to provide the display unit
with a display panel containing the word HELP illuminated from the
interior of the display unit by means of one or more electric lamps
with a flasher connected in series therewith, and the display
panel, a red optical grade plastic sheet interposed between the
electric lamp and the plastic front panel plate, thereby radiating
a red signal in the form of the word HELP.
Another object of the invention is to provide an alarm device
connected in parallel with the electric lamp, said alarm device
becoming actuated in synchronism with the flashing word HELP,
thereby catching the attention of the passerbys.
A still another object of the invention is to provide a plurality
of switches permanently installed in various parts of the interior
sides of the car so that any one switch is easily accessible to the
occupant from any part of the car during an emergency as described
hereinabove.
A further object of the invention is the provision of two
separately located jacks in the dashboard of the car, one of which
jacks being used for insertion of a plug with a cord extending from
an illness-alerting device worn by the driver or the occupant of
the car, and the other jack being connected through a plug with a
cord to a sleep-preventive cap means worn by the driver during a
long-distance driving.
Another object of the invention is to provide a motor-driven
acoustic means having a prerecorded magnetic tape or an acoustic
memory means to intermittently sound the word HELP at a high dB
each time the word HELP is illuminated by the electric lamp in the
display panel.
A still other object of the invention is to energize the entire
emergency alerting system with its accessory devices from the
battery of the car by connection of the system to the wires
carrying current to the cigaret-lighter receptacle of the car.
One other object of the invention is to provide such a system as
hereinabove described in a self-contained assembly unit for use on
cars which are already manufactured without being equipped with
said system, by the provision of an alarm and light-display unit
attachable by pressuresensitive adhesive to the dashboard of the
car and a display unit with suction cups attachable to the body of
the car externally thereto, the system having a single plug member
for insertion into the cigaret-lighter receptacle to receive
current therefrom.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent
from the specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 shows the built-in emergency display unit on a car equipped
during manufacture thereof.
FIG. 2 shows the schematic circuit diagram of the entire
emergencyalerting system.
FIG. 3 is the sleep-preventive cap means with a cord terminating in
a plug which is adapted to be inserted into the respective
jack.
FIG. 4 is the position-sensitive switch means for illness-alerting
scheme to be employed in the system.
FIG. 5 is the alarm-actuating device (with front panel removed for
illustration) for the sleep-preventive cap means.
FIG. 6 is the perspective view of the HELP indicating display unit
prior to the installation thereof on a car during manufacture.
FIG. 7 is the front panel view of the display unit.
FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the front panel of the display
unit.
FIG. 9 is a schematic view of the acoustic device that sounds HELP
in spoken words intermittently with each flash of the electric lamp
disposed within the display unit, the acoustic device being a
modification of the horn shown in FIG. 2.
FIG. 10 is a self-contained emergency-alerting system attachable to
any car already manufactured without being equipped with the
present alerting system.
FIG. 11 shows the configuration of the interchangeable front
panel.
Referring to the drawing, FIG. 1 shows the emergency-alerting
display unit 1 mounted on the trunk lid of a car at a suitable and
visible section thereof during manufacture of the car at the
factory. The unit has a housing 2 with a display front panel 4,
which consists of a red plastic sheet 6, a template 8 with die-cut
letters spelling the word HELP therein, and a prismatic plastic
sheet 10; the dimensions of the front panel 4 is preferably 4
inches high and 10 inches long typically. The design of the plastic
prismatic lens plate 10 is selected so that when the device is not
operating the letters HELP are invisible to prevent false
indication of an emergency help. Other words, such as EMERGENCY,
DISTRESS, DANGER, WARNING, and similar notifying words can be used
as emergency-signals in the display panel, if desired. When the
system display housing is built into a car at the factory, as shown
in FIG. 1, the housing 2 tapers in its posterior section so as to
form a triangular side wall; this design eliminates any possible
obstruction from the rear view of the driver. The dotted lines
indicating HELP on the display panel shown in FIG. 7 are only
illustrative and are invisible until the display panel is
illuminated by the electric lamp or lamps disposed within the
housing 2.
FIG. 2 represents the entire schematic circuit diagram of the
system with its attachment points to the car instrument panel 12
and to the sides of the car. Numeral 13 points to the
cigaret-lighter receptacle on the dashboard. The instrument panel
(dashboard) 12 also contains a jack 14 for connection to the
illness-alerting switch mechanism 16 (FIG. 4), and another jack 18
for connection to the sleep-preventive cap means 20, shown in FIG.
3. The illness-alerting switch mechanism 16 is provided with a
housing 17 which includes therein a position-sensitive switch
(mercury switch) 22 sealed therein in an upright position so that
if by any unsuspected manner the glass envelope of the mercury
switch 22 breaks no mercury can spill out therefrom, for safety of
the user. The front wall of the housing 16 is removed in FIG. 4 to
illustrate the position of the mercury switch. The lower electrode
24 is longer than the upper electrode 26 so that when the housing
17 is held upright (normal position) in a vertical plane the
mercury contacts the lower electrode 24 only, thus maintaining an
open circuit therein. The electrodes 24 and 26 terminate in a
normally open push-on push-off pushbutton switch 28 at the upper
wall of the housing 17; a double-wire electric cord 29 extends from
push-button switch 28 to a plug member 30 at the termination of the
core 29. During use the plug member 30 is inserted into jack 14.
When the wearer of the switch mechanism 16 falls on one side of the
car seat, the mercury switch 22 tilts with respect to the vertical
plane (of the car), causing the two electrodes 24 and 26 to become
electrically connected. This action triggers the emergency-alerting
system to operation. Therefore, the switch mechanism 16 operates
merely as an automatic switch when the wearer faints and falls to
one side due to some illness, or inclines sideways due to a
criminal assault thereupon by an intruder. Declination of the
switch mechanism 16 at any angle from the vertical plane (of the
car) will actuate the mercury switch 22.
The cap member 20 used for the prevention of dozing during driving
a car comprises a golfer's cap with holes 32 for circulation of air
therethrough, a support member or enclosure 33 which includes an
alarm device 34 and a mercury switch 36 connected in series with
the alarm device 34. A lead 38 from the alarm device 34 and a lead
40 from the mercury switch 36 connect to a double-wire cord 42
which terminates in an electric plug member 44. The enclosure 33 is
attached to the cap member 20 with a bolt and nut attachment
through the holes 32 and 46, and 48 and 49. The enclosure 33 may be
an arcuate sheet of plastic with the mercury switch 36 and the
alarm means 34 attached thereto by means of an adhesive tape or
similar attaching means. Attached to the cap member 20 these
components are positioned between the cap member 20, at the
anterior side thereof, and the plastic enclosure; thus no part of
the plastic enclosure is exposed to or touches the head of the
wearer, since the front portion of the cap member 20 is usually
provided with more cap material than the rear portion, whereby a
reasonably large cavity is formed therein to conveniently
accommodate the switch-and-alarm assembly therein. The plug member
44 is inserted into the jack 18 during use of the sleep-preventive
cap member 20, for connection thereof to the system circuit.
The schematic circuit diagram shown in FIG. 2 comprises a battery
50 (the car battery) one terminal 52 of which is connected to one
side of the cigaret-lighter receptacle 13 through lead 54 as well
as to one side of jack 14 through lead 56 and to jack 18 through
lead 58. The other terminal lead 60 of battery 50 is connected to a
solenoid coil 62 of a relay member 64. The other end of solenoid
coil 62 connects through lead 66 to the opposite side of jack 14
through sectional leads 110, 108, and 109. Lead 66 also connects to
pushbutton switches 68, 70, and 72 through leads 74, 76, and 78,
respectively. The pushbutton switches also connect to the battery
50 through sectional leads 80, 81, and 82, respectively, and
through the common lead 84. The pushbutton switches 68, 70, and 72
are accessibly located in various sections of the car interior; for
example, one switch is adjacent to each of the rear elbow holder
and one near the front right elbow holder or rest. Also, a fourth
pushbutton (not shown in FIG. 2) may be installed on the driver's
side of the elbow rest. In this arrangement, the occupant can reach
the nearest switch when an emergency arises.
The lead 84 also extends from the battery 50 through sectional
leads 86, 88, and 90 to the electric lamp 92 and alarm means 94
connected in parallel with the lamp 92. The terminal portion 96 of
the lead 90 connects to the open side of the relay switch 98, which
continues through lead 100 and lead 102 to terminate in jack 18.
The lead 100 also branches off and connects to one side of a
flasher 104, from which the sectional lead 106 connects to lead 60,
terminating in the opposite side of the battery 50, the receptacle
13 being in an open-circuit position. If desired, the horn of the
car may be substituted for the horn means 94, by making connections
at terminals 93 and 95 after removing the horm 94.
In operation, let it be supposed that an occupant of the car,
seated in the rear left side, is in danger of an assault by a
criminal, with the driver absent. Let it further be assumed that
the pushbutton 72 is the nearest switch to the occupant. Without
the knowledge of the criminal, the occupant can press the
pushbutton 72, which action immediately sets off the alarm and the
flashing light synchronously outside the car, calling for HELP. The
sounding of the alarm and the flashing of the light for HELP may
result in the forfeiture of the criminal's intention and his escape
from the car. Since the relay 64 is a latching relay, the alarm and
the flashing of the light for HELP continue until stopped by
resetting the relay 64 by button 99 moving in the direction of the
arrowhead, FIG. 2. The relay 64 may be selected from a commercial
latching relay provided with a reset button thereon or remotely
controlled through a cable therefrom. The location of the reset
button 99 can be concealed and only known to the driver or his
frequent occupant so that the alarm and the flashing light cannot
be turned off by an intruder.
The circuit operation in this emergency section proceeds from the
normally open pushbutton switch 72, which momentarily closes (by
the car victim), permitting a current to flow from battery 50
through lead 84, and sectional leads 78, 82, 108, and 110 to
solenoid 62 through lead 66. From the solenoid coil 62, the current
is led through leads 112 and 60 to the battery 50, thus completing
a full circuit cycle. The flow of current through the solenoid coil
62 produces a magnetic effect on the relay switch blade 114, which
closes the relay switch 98. Closing of the relay switch 98 causes a
current to flow from battery 50 through lead 84, sectional leads
86, 88, and 90 to electric lamp 92, alarm means 94, lead 96 and
through now closed switch 98, lead 100, the flasher 104, sectional
lead 106, and the terminal lead 60 back to the opposite side of
battery 50, actuating the alarm 94 and the flashing light 92. The
relay switch 98 will remain closed indefinitely until it is
manually reset to an open position by means of a button 99. The
circuit operation will be identical for pushbutton switches 70 and
68, or for any additional switches that may be installed in
parallel connection in the other parts of the car, if desired,
during manufacture of the car with the present system. It will be
seen that the flasher 104 causes the intermittent operation of both
the light bulb 92 and alarm means 94 in synchronism.
For a driver who frequently lapses into a coma, stroke, or faints
due to a diabetic condition (there bing about 6-million persons
with this condition in the United States), the use of the automatic
switch mechanism 16 will be very helpful, since time in such
emergencies would be the essential factor. Such a driver then may
provide himself with a switch mechanism unit 16 by supporting it in
his shirt pocket in an upright position in the vertical plane of
the car. A cord 29 extending from switch mechanism unit 16
terminates in a plug 30 which is inserted into jack 14 located on
the instrument panel 12 of the car. Upon declination of the driver
from the vertical plane and falling to one side of the car seat due
to a sudden attack of illness, the switch mechanism 16 closes and
triggers the alarm-light combination. The switch mechanism 16 is
enclosed in a miniature box 17 of a dimension 3/4 inch wide, 3/4
inch deep, and 2 inches in height, and is provided with a fastening
means for attachment thereof in an upright position to a suitable
region of a wearer's chest, such as shirt pocket. The operation of
this device is similar to that of pushbutton switch 72.
For long-distance driving or for driving in a congested freeway
wherein the content of carbon monoxide is sufficiently high to
cause the driver to feel drowsy, whereby the ordinary conduct of
his driving is affected adversely, the cap means 20 is worn by the
driver to prevent him from dozing and thereby losing his control of
the car. The cap containing the buzzer 34 and the
position-sensitive switch 36 is plugged through cable 42 plug 44
into the jack 18 located in the instrument panel 10. In this case,
instead of utilizing the display panel unit 1 the device alerts the
drowsy driver by means of the position-sensitive switch-buzzer
combination (33) in the cap member 20. The current to the buzzer 34
connected in series with the position-sensitive switch 36 is
furnished from the car's battery 50 through leads 52 and 58, and
when the switch 36 is closed by the forward tilting of the driver's
head during a drowsy driving, the current through the switch 36 is
fed to the flasher 104 through lead 102 and out therefrom through
leads 106 and 60 to the opposite terminal of battery 50, completing
the circuit cycle. Thus the alarm in the cap member 20 sounds
intermittently due to flasher 104. It should be noted that in
actual tests, an intermittent sounding of the alarm has been found
more effective than a continuous sounding in arousing the driver
from his drowsiness. For this reason, the cap member 20 utilizes
the system flasher 104.
In FIG. 9, a system of acoustic loudspeaker is shown, which may be
substituted for the alarm horn 94 of FIG. 2. In this system, the
low-speed motor 116 is driven by a current from leads 118 and 120
respectively connected to leads 90 and 96. The speed of the motor
116 is synchronized with the repetition rate of the flasher 104 so
that every time the flasher 104 is turned on the motor 116 drives
the magnetic tape 122 by means of pulley 124 connected thereto. The
magnetic tape 122 is prerecorded thereon with the word "HELP" so
that every time the tape 122 makes a complete rotation and passes
adjacent the magnetic pickup 126 the work HELP is picked up
thereby, amplified by amplifier 128, and the amplified acoustic
signal is fed to the horn 130, which then sounds at approximately
120 dB loudness so that the sound can be heard at a reasonably long
distance or in noisy environment of the speeding cars on the
road.
FIG. 10 represents a self-contained emergency-alerting system which
is intended for use on cars and trucks which are not equipped with
the emergency-alerting system during the manufacture of the vehicle
at the factory. This system comprises a boxlike housing 132, of a
size 1 1/2 inches wide, about 1 inch deep, and 2 1/2 inches long.
The housing 132 contains in its front wall 133 two jacks 134 and
136, into which jacks the position-sensitive switch mechanism 16
and the cap means 20 are inserted, respectively. On the opposite
and rear wall of the housing 132 and externally thereto is a
pressure-sensitive adhesive tape whereby the housing 132 can be
attached to a suitable part of the dashboard of any car which is
not factory-equipped with the emergency-alerting system. A plug
138, insertable into the standard cigaret-lighter receptacle of a
car, furnishes current to the system from the car's battery, such
as the battery 50 shown in FIG. 2, through a cable 140 with leads
142 and 144 included therein. The lead 144 connects to the jacks
134 and 136 through leads 146 and 148, respectively. The lead 142
connects to the coil of a relay solenoid 150 and is led therefrom
to jack 134 through lead 152. The lead 146 connects the jack 134 to
the opposite terminal of the car battery through lead 144 and plug
138. The leads 142 and 144 respectively correspond to leads 54 and
149 of the circuit diagram shown in FIG. 2.
When it is desired to wear the position-sensitive switch mechanism
16, its plug 30 is inserted into the jack 134. When the
position-sensitive switch mechanism 16 is closed, as by an
emergency action described for the system shown in FIG. 2, a
current flows from the car battery through plug 138 and leads 144
and 146 to jack 134 and through position-sensitive switch mechanism
16 and lead 152 into the coil of relay solenoid 150, from which the
current returns to the battery through lead 142 of plug 138. This
action of the current magnetizes the relay solenoid 150 and closes
the relay switch 154, whereupon a current flows from the battery
through lead 144 of plug 138, lead 156 into an emergency-alerting
unit 158, lead 157, relay switch 154, flasher 160, and back to the
opposite terminal of the battery through lead 142 of plug 138, thus
energizing the lamp and the alarm means within the
emergency-alerting unit 158, which contains the identical parts and
operates identically with the operation of the emergency-alerting
unit 1, as shown in FIG. 2. It should be noted herein that the plug
138 which receives its current from any car battery through the
car's cigaret-lighter receptacle, the receptacle is already wired
to the battery of the car in the factory during manufacture of the
vehicle.
The system shown in FIG. 10 principally comprises two units -- the
housing 132 and the emergency-alerting unit 158, to both of which
the plug 138 is connected as shown in the circuit diagram of FIG.
10. However, in order to simplify the assembly into a compact
system the flasher 160 is located in the housing 132 and the
solenoid relay (150, 154) is disposed in the emergency-alerting
unit 158 preferably. All wirings are included in one multiple-lead
cable. The cable containing the leads 156 and 157 can be 10 to 12
feet long for convenience of the user (driver). The suction cups
162 located at the bottom section of the emergency-alerting unit
158 attach said unit to any part of the car that is most visible to
the passerbys, preferably to the trunk lid of the car, as in the
area shown for the display unit 1 presented in FIG. 1.
For long-distance and tiresome driving, the driver may use the cap
member 20 shown in FIG. 3. In this case, the driver inserts the
plug 44 into the jack 136. When the driver's head tilts due to his
getting drowsy the mercury switch 36 tilts and closes the circuit.
Then a current passes from the car's battery through plug 138, lead
144, and lead 148 through the alarm means 34 and out through lead
164, flasher 160, and lead 142 back to the opposite terminal of the
car battery. The alarm 34 then will sound intermittently at the
repetition rate of the flasher 160, to arouse the driver.
When the occupant of the car is subject to frequent fainting during
riding the car, he may use the automatic switching mechanism 16 by
placing it in the shirt pocket in a verticle position so that the
mercury switch 22 is open. The plug 30 is inserted into the jack
134, and when the wearer becomes ill and reclines to one side of
the car seat by passing out or by infliction of the illness, the
mercury switch tilts togather with the body of the wearer and
closes the circuit. This action starts the alarm and the light in
the emergency-alerting system 158. The circuit operation is similar
to that shown in FIG. 2, as explained for pushbutton switch 72.
The system shown in FIG. 10 may be provided with interchangeable
signs in addition to the word HELP as in the system shown in FIG.
2, in which once the display word is selected and installed during
manufacture, the word remains permanently in the display unit 1,
although changes to the sign may be made by the car user by
removing the front panel screws and replacing the template of the
panel 4 and reassembling the unit. Other words that can be employed
are: STALLED CAR, EMERGENCY, ILL PERSON, CALL POLICE, DANGER, etc.
These words can be die-cut in a heavy paper and used in the display
panel accessory shown in FIG. 11, wherein a framework 166 holds the
die-cut template for the word selected and a red sheet of plastic
168. This framework 166 is inserted around the front panel of
emergency-alerting system 158, so that any word desired can be
inserted rapidly into the framework 166 and mounted on unit 158, in
accordance with the type of emergency situation. For instance,
another word that may be used for rushing a lady to the hospital
may be MATERNITY CASE, whereby the police observers may understand
why the car is moving at a higher speed than the zone in which it
is traveling permits.
The disclosure of the invention described herein represents the
preferred embodiments of the invention; however, varidations
thereof in the form, construction, and arrangement of the various
components thereof are possible, such as templates of different
word signals can be made on a rolled tape and the selected word
sign can be rolled over the display panel 4 in place of inserting
different frameworks as shown in FIG. 11, without departing from
the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Cap 20 may also be
used, without cord 42, by a golf player to stabilize his head at a
ball.
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